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You’re essential to the hospital floor, and so is training! Keep building your skills with quick procedural videos and blogs straight from our veterinary team.
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Blog
Holiday Bonuses
Views: 1,943 - Comments: 4I’ve been in the professional world for a number of years now, and have been the lucky recipient of a few different bonuses. They have been in the form of gift cards, contributions to retirement, a nice dinner out, cash,...
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Video
Blood Smear Preparation
Views: 14,181 - Comments: 5Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), demonstrates how to make a blood smear.
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French and Gauge Sizes
Views: 6,558 - Comments: 4Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), talks about diameters of tubes and needles in terms of gauge and french sizes.
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Blog
Site Update: Quiz Feature
Views: 721 - Comments: 2Due to popular demand, we have added a super-useful new feature:When a member watches any video, they can now take a short quiz at the end! Once they pass the quiz they have the option to forward their proof of completion to their...
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Applying Topical Spray
Views: 5,435 - Comments: 1Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), demonstrates how to apply topical spray to a dog.
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Article
Improving the Patient Experience
Views: 7,207 - Comments: 0As clinical staff, veterinary technicians are often challenged to fill a diverse range of roles in providing care to their patients. We receive extensive training and continuing education to hone our medical skills and may even da...
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Video
Butterfly Catheter Blood Draw
Views: 12,466 - Comments: 5Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), demonstrates how to obtain a blood sample from the lateral saphenous vein of a small dog using a butterfly catheter.
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SNAP Test
Views: 10,658 - Comments: 2Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), shows how to perform a basic SNAP test. Refer to manufacturer’s specific test instructions for your kit, as each test varies slightly.
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Preparing IV Fluids
Views: 16,366 - Comments: 2Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), demonstrates how to prepare IV fluids for administration. Perfect for owners learning to administer SQ fluids or brand new hospital employees.
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Hanging Leg Surgery Patient Prep
Views: 12,294 - Comments: 3Ashley Magee, DVM, DACVS, describes how to prepare a patient for limb surgery using a hanging leg preparation technique.
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Abdominal Surgery Patient Prep
Views: 16,440 - Comments: 15Surgery assistant at DoveLewis, Sue Marcoe, demonstrates how to clip and prepare a patient for abdominal surgery.
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Blog
The Other Side of the Exam Table
Views: 2,503 - Comments: 2Over the last month I’ve been entirely consumed by my year-old cat’s rapid progression down the FLUTD path of horrors. After four deobstructions and five hospitalizations, I agreed to have Dr. Magee (one of our surgeons) perform a...
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Doppler Blood Pressure
Views: 15,537 - Comments: 2Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), explains how to obtain a Doppler blood pressure on a dog.
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Fluid Pump Basics
Views: 11,929 - Comments: 1Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), shows the basics of using a fluid pump.
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Diagnostic Ultrasonography
Views: 5,138 - Comments: 0Jen Langevin, CVT, and Alan Lipman, DVM, DACVR, explain and demonstrate the basic abdominal ultrasound process, specifically the technician’s role and the specific organs examined by the radiologist.
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Video
Grape Toxicity
Views: 5,510 - Comments: 2Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), discusses a case of grape toxicity and the process of dealing with grape ingestion in general.
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Blog
Take That Syringe Out of Your Mouth!
Views: 6,115 - Comments: 12Some habits are tough to quit. Chewing your fingernails, picking the olives off your pizza, incessant channel surfing - they can be challenging to stop. As safety manager for our hospital, I can now recognize how tough it is to...
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Video
Patient Cooling
Views: 6,172 - Comments: 6Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), discusses how to cool a patient with a very high body temperature. Instead of ice packs (which will cause vasoconstriction and trap hot blood in the patient’s core), cool water and a fan are used....
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Urinalysis Preparation
Views: 16,992 - Comments: 8Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), shows you how to prepare for the three parts of a complete urinalysis: perform a dipstick test, specific gravity, and sediment exam.
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Basic Ear Cleaning
Views: 13,159 - Comments: 4Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), explains and demonstrates how to perform a basic ear cleaning on a dog.
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Handling Aggressive Dogs
Views: 24,376 - Comments: 15Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), talks through restraining an unpredictable dog with a past history of aggression for an IV injection.
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Body Temperature - Canine
Views: 10,192 - Comments: 1Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), demonstrates how to measure body temperature rectally on a dog.
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Respiratory Rate and Effort - Canine
Views: 12,521 - Comments: 0Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS(ECC), demonstrates how to examine a dog’s respiratory rate and effort, while paying close attention to the specific patient’s mentation, illness, and breed.
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Monitoring Mentation - Canine
Views: 13,650 - Comments: 2Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), what mentation means, with emphasis on classifying patients as QAR (Quiet/Alert/Responsive), BAR (Bright/Alert/Responsive), and Dull/Depressed.
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Monitoring Mucous Membranes - Canine
Views: 11,514 - Comments: 1Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), shows how to evaluate Mucous Membranes and CRT (Capillary Refill Time) in a dog.
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Heart Rate and Rhythm - Canine
Views: 13,717 - Comments: 6Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), demonstrates how to measure heart rate, rhythm, and pulse quality on a dog.
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Canine Cephalic Vein Blood Collection
Views: 17,360 - Comments: 2Joanie Abrams, CVT, VTS (ECC), shows how to draw blood from a dog’s cephalic vein.
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Blood Collection Tubes
Views: 15,719 - Comments: 5Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), discusses various blood collection tubes and what each is used for.
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Canine Jugular Venipuncture
Views: 19,294 - Comments: 10Jill Greene, CVT, demonstrates how to draw blood from a dog’s jugular vein. She explains why the circumstances are appropriate for drawing from the jugular instead of a peripheral vein.
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Blog
At Dawn They Sleep: Guide to Surviving Overnights
Views: 5,843 - Comments: 17As I stated in my previous blog, overnights are hard. Health problems and cancer are very prevalent among overnight workers, sadly, and it's been suggested that if you work overnights you shouldn't work them for long perio...
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Blog
Why I Like Overnights
Views: 3,175 - Comments: 4Do I like overnights? Does anyone like overnights? Maybe a few masochistic vampires out there can truly answer yes but the truth is that working graveyard is tough. It is unnatural and completely socially alienating. Though I...
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Blog
Here's My Problem: Overnight Anticipation
Views: 2,127 - Comments: 0I have to work an overnight shift tonight. It’s a mid-week overnight shift, surrounded by days of meetings and office work. My favorite. In my outside-of-work life I LOVE anticipation, but as I forced myself to sleep in this...
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Blog
Drinks After Work
Views: 2,422 - Comments: 2Many shifts leave me feeling like a weary soldier of the ER/ICU, and (more often than not) the Grim Reaper. These times call for a drink. I envy those of you that can meet for so-called "happy hour", the late sunlight...
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Video
Aftercare Paw Prints
Views: 5,968 - Comments: 7Technician Assistant, Cecily Douglas, demonstrates how to make a set of ink paw prints as part of aftercare on deceased patients.
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Article
The Reality of Medical Inventory
Views: 5,981 - Comments: 5Many of us have experienced the frustration of dealing with the revolving door of drugs or inventory items that are in short supply, on backorder, or have been discontinued. Within the past two years we've seen this with drugs we...
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Using Sterilization Pouches
Views: 10,850 - Comments: 3Surgery Assistant at DoveLewis, Sarah Crisp, talks through how to sterilize instruments in single sterilization pouches.
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Video
Cage Aggression
Views: 19,013 - Comments: 7Meredith Rose, CVT, VTS(ECC), demonstrates how to appropriately manage a dog that has severe cage aggression.
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Article
Compassion Fatigue
Views: 13,705 - Comments: 8Did you know that caring too much can hurt? When veterinary staff members are exposed to others pain, they can succumb to symptoms associated with the secondary traumatic stress disorder now labeled compassion fatigue. Compassion...
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Fractious Cat Restraint
Views: 35,508 - Comments: 30Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), and Technician Assistant, Sarah Crisp, wrangle Max, a very grumpy cat who is in the ER for an exam and diagnostics. Megan gives some tips on handling aggressive and fractious cats.
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Use of a 3-Way Stopcock
Views: 11,032 - Comments: 1Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), uses water and food coloring to demonstrate how to properly use a 3-way stopcock.
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Open and Hand Off a Sterile Pack
Views: 12,855 - Comments: 8Surgery assistant, Sarah Crisp, explains step-by-step how to open and hand off a sterile pack.
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Wrapping Sterile Packs
Views: 18,537 - Comments: 14Surgery Assistant at DoveLewis, Sarah Crisp, explains step-by-step how to wrap a surgical pack for steam sterilization.
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Article
Decreasing IV Catheter Problems
Views: 49,577 - Comments: 22Placing peripheral catheters is something technicians do everyday. With this article I hope I can give you some new techniques on placing them aseptically which will help them run trouble free. These are techniques that will decre...
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Blood Draw Lateral Saphenous
Views: 25,253 - Comments: 8Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), walks you through obtaining a blood sample from the lateral saphenous vein in a dog. The lateral saphenous vein in dogs is an ideal spot for quick blood draws.
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Video
Scrubbing In
Views: 14,161 - Comments: 5Lee Herold, DVM, DACVECC, walks through proper technique for a surgical scrub, gowning and sterile closed gloving technique. This is a great review for staff members who infrequently scrub in for surgical procedures. ...
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Suture Basics
Views: 11,622 - Comments: 5In this brief video Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), explains how to decipher suture size and material.
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Directional Terms
Views: 12,431 - Comments: 9Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS(ECC), summarizes the most common directional terms used in medical terminology.
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Thoracic Radiographs
Views: 14,886 - Comments: 4Proper positioning is key to obtaining diagnostic radiographs. In this video, Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), reviews proper thoracic radiograph positioning and safety.
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Blood Glucose via Ear Stick
Views: 9,123 - Comments: 9Lee Herold, DVM, DACVECC, reviews blood glucose sampling using the ear stick method. This is beneficial for glucose curves in the hospital and for teaching owners to monitor their pet’s glucose levels at home.
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PCV/TS Reading
Views: 15,770 - Comments: 15Megan Brashear, CVT, VTS (ECC), discusses measuring a packed cell volume and total solids is fast, inexpensive, and provides a great deal of information. Every staff member should be comfortable performing this, and this video wal...
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